Nevada Joint Union High School District Board affirms support for undocumented students

A resolution confirming the school district's support for undocumented students prompted a sometimes-heated debate Wednesday.

But in the end, the board of trustees for the Nevada Joint Union High School District passed the resolution — which has been proposed by student trustee Morgan Margulies — on a unanimous vote.

The resolution, titled "Providing All Children Equal Access to Education, Regardless of Immigration Status," was drafted by the California School Board Association and has already been passed by 122 school districts across California, Margulies told the board.

This would reassert the district's commitment to undocumented students and provide a procedure and framework for interactions with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he said.

"It makes a statement," Margulies said, later calling the resolution a reaffirmation that the district believes everyone has a right to be educated.

Several of the trustees questioned the need for the resolution, since it echoes the district's current policy and appeared redundant.

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Trustee Jamie Reeves, however, said the district's procedures are out of date, arguing, "This is our responsibility."

Trustee Al Angulo, who serves as the clerk of the board, expressed concern with the fact that his name would be at the document approving the resolution and said he wanted to see a side-by-side comparison of the language of the resolution versus the district's current policy.

Board President Jim Drew noted the district already follows those procedures, calling the resolution "a political statement."

Angulo suggested that the district might just need to educate the public that it already follows anti-discrimination policies, leading Reeves to fire back, "Isn't that what this resolution does?"

Angulo then suggested tabling the discussion until the board could review the resolution side by side with district policy.